Mad Rosetta - Chapter 8

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Mad Rosetta

Episode 8

Those Who Obey Well Have Nothing to Fear (4)

Odette’s fifteenth birthday was in spring.

Soon she too would hold her debut tante alongside the other young ladies.

Young ladies who had to skip their debut tante due to circumstances would either hold a simple ceremony at home, or announce their entrance into society through the ball held the following spring.

I clearly remembered how around this time, Odette would come to me saying, “Father is too busy, and Benitra’s knights still frighten me. If only there were someone as reliable as Lord Cessia, but what am I to do?”

– “Of course, we can’t have our Bonita in trouble. I’ll tell Cessia to escort you!”

…My foolish past self as well.

Odette was truly excellent at making people move according to her wishes.

That day was probably right after I had taken a nap and woken up with such a terrible headache that I broke several pieces of furniture.

Perhaps because of that, I felt briefly refreshed and was able to greet her kindly.

‘Come to think of it, it was Odette who filled my room with panilnia. It was also Odette who got beaten and cursed at by me the most…’

While this certainly contributed to the social perception of ‘poor and loving Odette who steadfastly cared for her sister despite being mistreated,’ I thought anew how cunning she was.

“I should go to this banquet too.”

【Suddenly?】

When I smiled wickedly at the thought of ruining Odette’s one and only debut tante, Sing scolded me not to smile like that because it was scary.

What’s wrong with my smile?

Father used to say outrageous things like how even His Imperial Majesty couldn’t be as happy as him since he had our Coco as a daughter, every time I smiled!

“I’ll go and do exactly what Odette did to me. Pretending to be pitifully misunderstood, pretending to be unable to hold my head up high under Lianna and Odette’s pressure!”

【Oh my.】

“Then I’ll be able to regain my previous elegant and pure, pitiful image.”

【Um, Rose? Darling?】

“Enough. Shut that mouth.”

【Don’t you look in mirrors?】

“I said shut up!”

When I, who had been fuming, made a spitting gesture like some vagrant threatening someone in a dark alley, Sing burst into laughter.

What was always so exciting and amusing to him? Sometimes it seemed like he hadn’t become a ghost due to lingering resentment, but had simply come out for a brief stroll to observe the human world.

When I told him to tone it down because his constant giggling was annoying, he pretended to wipe his eyes, saying he might cry from laughing too hard.

Where does something without eyes get off acting up?

【Ah, I’ve laughed to my heart’s content.】

“Excessively so.”

When I replied curtly, Sing chuckled softly and took a strand of my hair, twirling it around his finger.

My dark hair curled and fell through Sing’s translucent finger joints.

【Don’t sulk so much. I meant that you’re beautiful enough without mixing in modifiers like ‘pure’ and such.】

The fellow who had been playing with someone else’s hair spoke gently, as if soothing a sulking child.

Perhaps it was because his voice was unnecessarily soft. I found myself tensing up for no reason.

Or maybe it was because of those mischievous fingers that kept stroking, brushing, and twirling the ends of my hair.

【A ball… Come to think of it, I think Podocus was showing his face at events quite frequently around this time too.】

The fellow nodded a couple of times, as if recalling Cessia’s past appearance.

Just how long had he been following and watching Cessia? He was a ghost with proper lingering resentment.

I resolved to make them die miserably but never become ghosts, and said:

“Well, Odette did take Cessia as her partner several times even after her debut tante.”

【…My darling was truly carefree, even when her own fiancé was running around everywhere with another woman?】

I couldn’t tell if he was asking out of curiosity or being sarcastic.

I don’t know if I was strange, but I had never really thought about the possibility of losing what I had.

Of course, Cessia was one of those things, so I replied indifferently.

“Well, Cessia was my fiancé, so wasn’t that natural? He said he loved me, so I thought he wouldn’t fool around with others. Moreover, the person he was going around with was my younger sister… At which point exactly could I have found fault?”

【…】

“I had certainly seen some people flirting with Cessia, wanting to at least get a taste of the apple they couldn’t have. Ha! It meant that what I had was worth coveting by others, so I was quite proud!”

Jealousy and such things were all pointless.

After all, he was mine. Moreover, we were legally bound, so of course I should think he wouldn’t do anything improper since it would be morally filthy, right?

Though I died before even reaching nineteen, I was someone who had lived my entire life with that mindset.

【Sweetheart.】

Tsk tsk, here he goes again trying to stir up people’s hearts with his three-inch tongue.

I tried to tell him to shut up again, but I couldn’t.

【How can you be so innocent…】

Because my vision had darkened, blocked by Sing’s chest.

My heart pounded violently due to his unexpected action of suddenly embracing my head and stroking it affectionately.

What the hell is this crazy bastard doing right now?

“Get away!”

When I pushed Sing away hard enough to make a thudding sound, the fellow tumbled right off the chair.

The chair didn’t budge as if no one had been sitting on it, making me realize once again that I was the only one who could touch and hit Sing.

【Hey, Rose. Sweetheart? Are you really someone who’s supposed to be sick? How about looking for some strength competition right now.】

“You, you crazy bastard… How dare you lay hands on a lady’s body so carelessly?”

【…Your face is red, darling.】

At his words, I had to feel my face burning hot once again.

Thinking I might look like ripening emergency crops if seen wrong, I continued fanning myself with my hand.

His pretense of being hurt must have been pure lies. The fellow sat back down beside me, apologizing for startling me.

【I didn’t know you were so unaccustomed to being touched.】

“…Is such a thing necessary?”

【Haha, of course not.】

He would ask permission before comforting me from now on, and whenever I needed a touch, I could jump into his arms anytime…

Just as I was scolding him by slapping his non-existent mouth while he diligently teased me, Penny’s voice came from outside the door.

“Miss, it’s Penny. May I come in for a moment?”

What? Marahan couldn’t have cleaned the room already.

When I told her to come in, Penny approached with quiet steps and conveyed her business demurely.

“Lady Bonita requests an audience with you.”

“Damn!”

“Pardon?”

Penny looked at me nervously, flustered by the curse that reflexively slipped out.

‘Sorry, kid. I just hate it too much.’

Whether it was the aftermath of what happened at the dining hall, I couldn’t readily think of any reason for Odette to suddenly visit.

“Did she mention her business as well?”

“Ah, well. She said she seemed to have upset you at breakfast this morning…”

“Aha.”

I roughly understood what she meant and nodded.

She must have come to highlight the beauty of a sister caring for her older sister’s mood, acting all nice to Penny who had suddenly ended up by my side.

‘She’s diligent, even though she’s the one who got scolded.’

I quickly granted Odette’s visit, and Penny left the study with quick steps.

But when the door opened again and Odette entered with Penny.

I had to barely suppress the urge to throw a chair.

“Sister, I’m here.”

Behold that graceful figure walking toward me holding a bouquet to give me.

Her beige hair swayed elegantly following her swaying steps.

When her emerald eyes, exactly like her mother’s, crinkled warmly, everyone including myself used to praise her, saying she looked just like Linke, the forest fairy.

“…What business brings our Bonita to see this sister.”

I put so much force in my jaw trying not to show my feelings that my pronunciation seemed a bit off.

When my gaze fell on the characteristic white leaf tips of the panilnia in her arms, piercing pain immediately surged through my entire body.

If I killed Odette right now, wouldn’t I be freed from this pain forever? Then…

【Relax a bit, darling.】

I had been gripping the chair so tightly.

If Sing hadn’t placed his hand over mine when he saw the blood pooling on the back of my hand, I probably would have become a cruel villainess who beat her sister to death with a chair.

“It’s just… you seemed to be in a bad mood this morning, so I was worried…”

Clutching the bouquet and answering with a dejected air, she clearly seemed to be reading my mood.

Whenever I faced this side of Odette, I found her so detestable I could hardly bear it.

Meanwhile, she must have hated being affected by the fragrance more than death itself, as she always wrapped it up so prettily before handing over the Panilnia.

“Oh, please take this. I brought some flowers you like, sister.”

“…What am I to do? I can no longer accept this.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll gratefully accept your sentiment, but how about displaying those flowers in your room, Bonita?”

I tried my best to smile gently.

Since I had never once refused a bouquet she offered, Odette seemed quite flustered.

Yes, don’t go taking a dump in someone else’s room for no reason. Hang those damn poisonous plants in your own room to your heart’s content.

As I simply watched Odette’s hand holding the bouquet hover awkwardly in the air, she smiled sheepishly and withdrew it.

“You really are upset, aren’t you? Because I came to visit you for no reason…”

At her expression changing in an instant, I sent fervent praise inwardly.

‘Wow, how does she put on such an act?’

Odette performed brilliantly, tears welling up but forcing a smile to avoid worrying her sister, making viewers’ hearts ache even more.

It made my nose tingle, and I seriously considered going to father right away to suggest changing Odette’s career path to stage acting.

Penny beside me also cast a pitying glance at her.

Finding this extremely irritating, I boldly raised my hand to break the situation.

“Acting so weakly…”

The moment I lifted my hand after releasing my grip on the chair, Odette squeezed her eyes shut tight.

It was the attitude of someone always ready to be beaten.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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